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Where could he have gone? And so quickly? Eren had only briefly turned away to try to reason with his parents and when he had turned around Levi had vanished.
Eren had rushed through the town streets for a while as he tried to find the elusive man with steel silver eyes. He tucked a stray strand of hair that had come loose from his bun behind his ear as he puzzled in thought. However, it suddenly hit him that there was a place he should have checked from the very beginning. He raced over to the circus tent and his heart leapt into his throat as he saw a light shining from the inside. The cloth of the entryway flapped loudly behind him as he barreled through them.
The only thing that was going through his mind was a simple plea. A plea for Levi to not have left already. A plea for him to still be there.
The tall brunet burst into the main area, sand kicking up underneath his dress shoes. He laid his black blazer on one of the spectator benches as he quickly redid his bun to better keep his hair out of his face. It wasn’t as clean and spotless as it had been earlier that night, but it would have to do for now. Eren had other things that he needed to focus on at the moment.
He easily stepped over the low barrier around the sandy pit in the center of the room. The spotlight that was up above bathed the center in a warm glow that faded towards the edges of the circle. Eren stood in the middle and glanced around the tent. At first he thought he had been mistaken, that the other hadn’t retreated here. But a slight flash of movement in the corner of his eyes caught his attention and when he looked over, there was Levi, just outside of the bright circle of light.
The man’s name slipped past his lips before he even registered his tongue moving.
“Levi,” Eren breathed out, his volume barely audible.
The raven haired man was leaning with his back against one of the supporting pillars and his lithe, toned legs kicked up on one of the many spectator benches. Levi’s eyes were trained down on his lap as his hands slowly wound a rope around one of his fists and his elbow. Somehow in the time that it took for Eren to find him, Levi had managed to change out of the suit he had been wearing earlier. The other man was now dressed in simple black shorts and a white cropped shirt with thin shoulder straps. His pale skin almost shone every now and then when the faint edges of the overhead light danced across it. The defining lines of his abs peaked out from below the white fabric of the cropped tee.
Eren shook his attention away from Levi’s bare shoulders and exposed midriff. Now really wasn’t the time to be enamored by the raven’s beautiful figure. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath before he lightly jogged over to him. He frowned slightly when Levi did not look up from his rope work even though Eren knew for sure Levi had noticed him there.
“Levi,” he breathed out again, a little louder than before. “They’re small minded people.”
Levi said nothing, he just continued to wrap his rope around his arm. Eren crouched before him and tried to meet Levi’s eyes, those beautiful, silver eyes that always left him spellbound, but the other wouldn’t look at him. The brunet reached out for Levi’s hands, hoping to stop his rope wrapping, maybe hold the other’s hand in a reassuring manner. Eren's heart squeezed painfully when Levi pulled his hands back and out of reach from him.
“Levi,” Eren tried again and he paused before continuing. This time Levi finally looked up from his lap and those silver orbs met his own blue-green eyes. “Why do you care what they think?”
Eren felt the thorn of guilt pierce his heart at the clear pain that shimmered in Levi’s eyes. He bit his lip to quell the temptation to cup his cheek, to try to offer any comfort he could. Unfortunately, Eren knew that nothing so simple would be able to remove Levi’s pain.
“It’s not just them,” Levi sighed out, his voice slightly breaking as he closed his eyes and his head fell back against the wooden post with a slight thump.
There was a beat of silence as Levi paused, but Eren could tell Levi had more to say, so he held his tongue.
“You’ve never had somebody look at you,” Levi started to murmur before he pulled his head away from the wooden post and slowly opened his eyes once more. The pain in them had not dissipated, it had only grown more pronounced. “The way your parents looked at me.”
Eren was at a loss for words. He didn’t know what to say because at the core of it, Levi was right. He had never been looked upon with any disdain of any kind, let alone the sheer level of loathing in the looks that Levi had received, not just from his parents but from the other opera goers. It wasn’t just the loathing either, the comments that his father had made did nothing to hide his disgust. Instead, it practically broadcasted it. While his mother hadn’t said anything outright, the hesitation and discomfort in her eyes had been clear. All because Levi was Eldian. It was rubbish.
The silence definitely didn’t do Eren any favors and before he could even begin to try to formulate a sentence, he heard Levi scoff under his breath.
“The way everyone has always looked at us,” Levi ground out between his teeth. Instead of sounding angry however, the raven haired man just sounded defeated. As if he had long ago accepted that this world was just cruel and unfair. That the world judged a whole group of people for their ancestry instead of looking at the person in front of them. The pain in Levi’s eyes was brief before it was overcome by a different, somehow more devastating emotion, acceptance.
Eren had seen this look before, both in Levi’s and Levi’s sister’s eyes, back when he had first seen the two. It had been long before Erwin had even thought to get Eren involved in the circus. Hell, it was before Erwin himself had even taken the gamble and established the circus.
That day, Levi and Isabel had simply been walking along at the market. Eren had been too far away to properly hear the conversation, but from the gestures he could tell Isabel had been upset about something. Likely the vendor in front of the pair refusing to sell his wares to them. Before the situation could escalate, Levi had placed a hand on Isabel’s arm and the two had looked at each other for a moment. It didn’t look like they said anything to each other, but it appeared Levi didn’t have to. Isabel had sagged and turned away from the vendor who was still glaring at them. It was when they had both turned away that Eren had gotten a look at their faces and had seen that devastating acceptance mirrored in both of their faces.
Back then he hadn’t cared.
Back then he didn’t know the two like he did now.
Back then he had been deep in the world of the socialist elite.
Back then, his biggest issues were trying to mediate between Jean’s exes or which party he had to go to next to please his father.
Back then, Erwin hadn’t been turning heads by allowing people of all races, even Eldians, to showcase their oddities and talents in his circus.
Back then he hadn’t felt this pull, this uncharacteristic and uncontrollable desire to be closer to the blinding light.
To be closer to the blinding light that was Levi.
A loud creaking echoed throughout the previously quiet space. The noise yanked Eren out of his thoughts and he whipped his head up to see Levi had gotten up from his seat and was striding away from him along the outside of the main circle. The rope that Levi had been coiling was left forgotten on the bench.
Eren’s heart seized painfully at the sight. He had to stop Levi, he couldn’t let him walk away, not now. The words tumbled off his tongue with a slight wavering rhythm before he could stop them, “You know I want you…”
To Eren’s delight, Levi’s steps faltered and he paused but he didn’t turn back to look at him yet.
Eren’s voice gained more strength as he continued to sing, “It’s not a secret I try to hide.”
A flash of silver graced Eren’s view as Levi turned his head slightly to glance at him warily over his shoulder. Eren took the glance as an invitation and he took a hesitant step towards the man to close the distance between them.
“You know you want me,” Eren sang softly with a small smirk on his face.
A scoff fell off Levi’s lips and Eren tried to stop his smirk from growing as the raven haired man turned around and continued his striding steps away. If Levi had really been annoyed with what he had said, then Eren probably would’ve gotten slapped. But he hadn’t, instead Levi was trying to run away from him again. Eren wasn’t going to let him, so he mustered his courage and continued.
“So don’t keep saying our hands are tied,” he carried on as he took more hesitant steps towards Levi.
Eren watched as Levi paused by a pair of pillars as he picked up a different rope to coil around his arms. A pause was a good sign, it meant Levi was at least listening to him.
Eren stepped up to the other side of the pair of pillars as he pressed onwards with putting his feelings into his singing. “You claim it’s not in the cards and fate is pulling you miles away and out of reach from me.” He leaned a bit down and to his delight Levi looked up at him and their eyes briefly met.
“But you’re here in my heart,” Eren sang softly as he put his fist against his heart. A small smile lifted his lips when Levi rolled his eyes at him. The raven haired man then broke their eye contact and set the rope he was winding down on the ground. Eren watched as Levi tried to quickly walk away from him. All he could do was continue to pour out his heart in hopes the other would give him a chance.
He raised the volume of his voice as he passionately declared, “So who can stop me if I decide that you’re my destiny?”
Levi paused by a pillar that had a hook around it and Eren took hesitant steps towards him to close the distance yet again.
“What if we rewrite the stars?” Eren’s question rang out in the deserted area. He knew Levi was listening even as he tried to pretend he was absorbed in unwrapping the rope from the pillar hook. It was proven when Levi paused in his movements for the briefest of seconds before he continued.
“Say you were made to be mine,” Eren sang out as he finally reached Levi’s side once again and he reached out a hand to graze along Levi’s elbow.
The raven haired man pulled away from him, the rope now fully unraveled from the hook. Levi stepped away from him but Eren took a step forward so he faced him head on. He focused his gaze on those beautiful silver orbs that were carefully guarded, no other emotion shone through. Eren firmly decided he couldn’t stop here, he had to keep going.
Everytime Levi took a step back, Eren took a step forward. “Nothing could keep us apart.”
Eren blinked as Levi abruptly turned around and stepped over the barrier. With a sense of urgency in his steps, Levi strode through the sandy circle pulling the rope along with him. It took all of Eren’s willpower to not falter in his singing as Levi’s lithe figure suddenly became bathed in the golden light like an angel. Eren quickly stepped over the barrier as well, his steps quickening as he refocused his mind only on catching up to Levi.
“You'd be the one I was meant to find,” he sang as he caught up and placed a gentle hand on Levi’s waist to turn him around to face him. Those silver eyes scanned his face as Levi’s cautious guard cracked and conflicted feelings swam in those gorgeous stormy orbs. Fear was undoubtedly present, but what else was there? Was it longing? Regret? Something else entirely? Eren couldn’t be sure.
He tried to express his love for the man in his own eyes as he slowly turned them in place in a bit of a dance, “It’s up to you.”
The rope was now behind Eren and as he turned them. Levi deftly handled the rope to keep them from being tangled, but most importantly he didn’t look away from Eren. He would have taken that as a good sign but the fear in Levi’s eyes had grown stronger.
“And it’s up to me,” Eren added as Levi broke their eye contact and tried to duck out from under his arm and walk away.
Eren reached out reflexively and grabbed the rope and tugged it back, “No one can say what we get to be.”
Levi’s grip had been too tight on the rope, so the raven stumbled back over to him. Eren caught his waist and steadied him. Then he gently pulled the rope away from Levi which caused Levi’s free hand to rest on his upper arm as Eren met his gaze again. A bit of amusement now shone in those eyes and Eren couldn’t help but smile. He had finally broken through Levi’s fear.
Eren brought his hand up to briefly caress Levi’s face before he grabbed Levi’s arm and twirled him around. Finally, a soft smile broke through Levi’s lips and Eren’s heart soared as he pleaded once more, “So why don’t we rewrite the stars?”
Levi followed his lead as they turned around each other and Eren beamed at him. The rope slid out of his hands as Levi took it back from him.
The raven haired man stepped closer to him and Eren was sure his joy was obvious on his face as he sang out, “Maybe the world could be ours, tonight.” Levi was so close to him that Eren could feel his breath on his lips. If he just leaned a little bit closer, then he could finally kiss him.
Levi smirked at him and before Eren realized what was happening, Levi harshly tugged the rope that he was holding and the raven was swept backwards and up into the air. The sound of a sandbag harshly hitting the floor echoed throughout the room, but Eren paid no mind to that. Instead he looked around above him and turned around a few times as he scanned the air for Levi. The bright light above prevented him from seeing too far above his head and he squinted a bit as a figure started to descend from above.
Eren felt the breath get knocked out of his chest as he identified the descending figure to be Levi. Levi’s hands gripped the sides of a metal hoop, his arms wrapped around in such a way that his armpits supported most of his weight and the bottom of the hoop disappeared behind his back. The raven was breathtaking as he spun in slow circles, his legs moving slowly as he pretended to run through the air.
Eren couldn’t help but reach his hand up towards Levi even though he was far out of reach. His lips fell open as he prepared to say something but a clear, deep voice rang out and stopped him dead in his tracks.
“You think it’s easy,” Levi’s voice wavered a bit as emotions briefly choked his throat but he still continued to sing. “You think I don’t want to run to you.” His voice was now stronger than before and Eren was officially spellbound. Levi’s singing voice was just as breathtaking as the rest of him. It was deep, throaty, and seemed to resonate throughout the air.
The brunet’s feet moved on their own accord as he slowly walked towards where Levi would land. The spotlight shone off Levi’s pale skin and made him glow like a falling star.
Levi continued his descent and as his feet lightly touched the ground, he pulled the hoop down so it was centered behind him before he continued, “But there are mountains…” Eren harshly inhaled as Levi quickly walked up to him till their faces were mere inches apart.
Was he going to kiss him? Unfortunately Eren’s hopes were dashed when Levi instead grabbed his hands and brought them up above their heads. He felt Levi’s breath on his lips as he continued in a sad, accepting tone, “And there are doors that we can’t walk through.” Levi dropped his hands in a featherlight trace down Eren’s body and the brunet had to stop himself from shivering at the feeling. Eren’s hands followed Levi’s down and immediately caressed Levi’s waist.
“I know you’re wondering why,” Levi sang as he quickly passed the hoop behind Eren, his head tucked into Eren’s neck as the words ghosted by his ear. Eren was so captivated by Levi’s presence and before he realized it, the shorter man had the hoop behind him once more and had easily draped himself along the bottom of it.
Levi hung there and spun slowly for a little bit before he hauled himself up into a sitting position. Eren could only reach out to Levi mesmerized as the momentum caused Levi to spin in several faster circles. Eren’s touch barely grazed on the sides of the hoop. All the while, the other man kept singing, “Because we’re able to be just you and me, within these walls.” Each time he turned, Levi’s eyes locked with Eren’s own.
“But when we go outside…” Levi proclaimed as he easily hauled himself up and flipped his legs up and over the top end of the hoop. He hung there upside down with his eyes gazing downwards at Eren, his voice gaining volume as he proclaimed, “You’re gonna wake up and see that…”
The hoop started to rise into the air and in desperation Eren grabbed the lower half of the hoop and his arms felt the strain as he was lifted off the ground with Levi. He tried to readjust his grip but he could already feel himself slipping. A flash of admiration jolted through him as Eren recalled how easy Levi made this look.
“It was hopeless after all.” As Levi finished singing his last two words, Eren’s hands slipped off the hoop and he fell the short distance down to the floor.
Levi disappeared from view as the hoop carried him back into the space above the sandpit but his voice still echoed throughout the deserted space.
“No one can rewrite the stars.” Levi’s voice came from behind Eren and he quickly turned around to look up towards it, but he couldn’t see anything up in the darkness of the rafters.
A flash of white and black went right by Eren’s face and his head whipped to follow it. Levi’s singing continued, “How can you say you’ll be mine?”
Eren pieced together that the other must have swung by him while hanging onto a rope.
“Everything keeps us apart,” Levi’s voice came from his left this time and Eren saw the slight indication of movement in the darkness this time before the shorter man came swinging down from above once more.
Without giving himself time to think about the consequences, Eren stepped into what he believed to be Levi’s path. Levi was moving too fast to correct his course and though Eren tried to brace himself, the pair went tumbling to the floor when Levi crashed into him. Dust kicked up all around them and it ended with Eren on his back as he blinked up in a daze at Levi who was now straddling him. The lights from above cast Levi’s visage in a beautiful halo and those silver eyes shone with desire and pain, and still a hint of that ever present fear. As if Levi was afraid to let himself feel for Eren. To let himself love Eren.
Eren opened his mouth to try to reply to Levi’s song but before he could, Levi yanked the rope he had been holding down. He briefly caressed Eren’s face as he picked up his singing where he had left off, mirroring Eren’s words from earlier, “And I’m not the one you were meant to find.”
Eren leaned into the brief, almost feather-like touch but before he could try to grab Levi’s waist and anchor the shorter man to him, Levi grabbed the rope and with another sharp tug was pulled back off of Eren and into the air once more.
“It’s not up to you, it’s not up to me.” Levi’s words echoed above Eren and snapped him out of his stupor. He looked to his right and saw the length of the rope rapidly receding as it carried Levi up. Eren hurriedly grabbed at it and hauled himself back to a standing position as he pulled the rope to a stop with an almost violent jerk. He stayed right next to the rope and glanced up at Levi’s elegant figure that was posed upside down with no effort.
That was apparently Levi’s plan all along as Eren could only watch as the other elegantly wrapped the rope around his body in time with his next words, “When everyone tells us what we can be.”
There was a pause once a section of the rope was fully wrapped Levi’s body. Eren blinked up at the other man twice before he realized what Levi was planning with a shock of surprise and fear.
“How can we rewrite the stars?” Levi’s voice rang out with clarity and as soon as the note finished, Levi dropped from above, his body spinning rapidly as he slid down the rope.
In a burst of reaction speed that Eren hadn’t known he had possessed, he managed to catch the other man at the end of his fall. Eren gently eased Levi to the ground in a quick half spin. Levi’s momentum carried him away from Eren but he wasn’t going to let him get away that easily. He curled his arm around Levi’s waist and dragged him back into his chest.
Levi’s face tilted back towards him, words falling off his lips, “Say that the world can be ours, tonight.” At the last word, Eren’s eyes met Levi’s and Eren couldn’t have stopped the sharp intake of breath he took even if he had wanted to. The other man’s lips were mere centimeters away from his own. Levi’s eyes were half closed but Eren could still see they were filled with desire and hope.
Levi suddenly spun out and away from him but Eren tightened his grip on Levi’s wrist and the rope in between them so that they wouldn’t be separated. If Eren had his way then they wouldn’t be separated ever again.
He tugged on Levi’s wrist once more intending to pull him closer and was delighted when Levi took a slight step towards him. The tug also caused the rope to jerk upwards on the pulley and Eren quickly readjusted his grip on the rope as it lifted him to the sky.
Levi came with him, his arms wrapping around Eren’s waist and back. Eren could only smile really wide as he continued the song that they had both started.
“All I want is to fly with you,” Eren sang earnestly as he stared into Levi’s eyes.
His heart skipped a beat when Levi sang back at him, “All I want is to fall with you.” At the word fall, Levi suddenly loosened his grip on Eren and started to fall towards the floor below. Eren reacted fast and grabbed his hand tightly. For a moment Levi dangled from Eren’s grip, trust and love shone in those silver eyes and Eren’s heart skipped a beat as he realized Levi had let go on purpose. He had faith that Eren would catch him.
Levi’s weight pulled them towards the ground and with a bright grin on his face Levi was pulling Eren back down to Earth as Levi loudly proclaimed, “So just give me all of you!”
The smile that took over Eren’s face was impossibly wide as he gazed down at Levi with nothing but love in his eyes. He tried to convey with only his eyes what he had already long accepted in his heart, everything he was, already belonged to Levi.
Eren’s feet touched the ground again and Levi’s hand immediately raised to cup the back of Eren’s neck. They stayed there for a few seconds as Levi stared longingly into Eren’s eyes. A flash of fear went through Levi’s eyes and he turned away from Eren as he grabbed a lone rope that had been hanging nearby unused. Eren watched Levi wrap it around his hand and he knew Levi was going to try to flee to the sky again and he wasn’t going to let him.
Eren grabbed Levi’s shoulder and turned the other to face him, his eyes pleading with Levi to fight his fear and listen to his heart. To listen to his heart that clearly felt the same as his own.
Levi shoved a hand at Eren’s chest and turned himself away, “It feels impossible!”
Eren backed a few steps away as he readjusted his grip on his own rope. “It’s not impossible!”
Levi looked back at him and his eyes widened in shock as he saw Eren’s positioning. Eren simply raised an eyebrow at the other as if to challenge him. He knew he had Levi when the shorter smirked in response and backed up a few steps as well.
“Is it impossible?” Levi's voice wavered as he again questioned Eren on if he could truly be with him.
Eren nodded with a small smile and he ran forward and jumped into the air. With perfect timing, Levi also jumped into the air and the two ropes they were holding caused the two to swing towards each other into the middle. As he approached Levi, he sang out, “Say that it’s possible!”
Eren’s smile got wider as he caught Levi around the waist and likewise felt Levi grab his waist as well. He and Levi spun around each other rapidly and Levi’s exhilarated laughter quickly became one of Eren’s favorite things to hear.
As they started to lose momentum, Eren planted his feet on the ground and with a few rapid turns of his own he spun Levi away from him and pushed him back into the air. Levi’s smile was wide as he went with the throw, his hold on his rope never faltering as he started to travel through the air in circles around the sandpit. Eren turned in slow circles himself as he kept his eyes on Levi’s elegant form and silver eyes that now shone with joy, happiness, and dare Eren say it, love.
Levi’s legs moved slowly as he pretended to run through the air and when Eren saw his mouth open, he was quick to follow along as he sang in sync with Levi. “How do we rewrite the stars?”
Eren dramatically blew a kiss in Levi’s direction as he sang out, “Say you were made to be mine.”
He laughed delightedly when Levi caught it and held it close to his heart.
“Nothing can keep us apart!” Eren continued as he left his rope where it was hanging and sprinted towards one of the supported pillars along the outside of the sandpit.
He climbed up the pillar in a hurry as he kept his eye on Levi’s spinning form.
Levi was watching him with a raised eyebrow but he still sang a reply back to Eren, “‘Cause you are the one I was meant to find.”
Those words made hope burst in Eren’s chest as he finally heaved himself up onto the second floor railing. He turned to face Levi as he braced himself on the pillar.
“It’s up to you,” Eren sang as he pointed to Levi with a huge smile on his face as the other soared past him. “And it’s up to me!” he continued as he slammed his hand onto the front of his chest.
Once Levi was facing him again, Eren saw Levi’s head shaking back and forth. The other man bit his lip in amusement at Eren’s antics. Eren simply raised an eyebrow at him which caused Levi to sigh slightly before he gave in and sang back in reply, “No one can say what we get to be!”
Eren whooped loudly in victory at Levi’s words as the other started to swing back towards him. He got himself ready for what he planned next and his hand gripped the upper edge of the pillar tightly. Eren saw Levi’s eyes widen as he must have realized what he had planned. He started to shake his head but Eren simply grinned widely at him before he leaped off the railing right as Levi passed him.
Eren saw Levi’s eyes flash with fear but Eren had managed to time it perfectly. He grabbed onto the rope above where Levi was holding it with one of his arms and his other wrapped firmly around Levi’s waist. Eren felt Levi’s arm muscles tense as the other man managed to catch him flawlessly. He glanced towards Levi and couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his chest as Levi glared back at him, scolding him for his recklessness.
“Why don’t we rewrite the stars?” Eren cheekily sang back at Levi as he showed the other he had no remorse at all for his admittedly slightly reckless jump.
Levi grunted a little breath as he let his forehead fall against Eren’s chest lightly as the two continued to glide around the room. Eren saw an affectionate smile tug at Levi’s lips before the other hid his face away and knew Levi wasn’t truly angry at him. He dropped a light kiss on the top of Levi’s head before he flexed his arm to pull Levi more firmly against him.
This got Levi to look back up at Eren and he stared into Levi’s eyes as he proudly sang out, “Changing the world…” leaving the sentence hanging on purpose in hopes that Levi would finish it.
Levi huffed as he looked at Eren with poorly concealed amusement, he hesitated for just a little while before he gave in and sang in reply, “To be ours!” Levi tilted his head up and lightly kissed Eren on the cheek before going back to resting his head against Eren’s chest as if listening carefully to Eren’s racing heartbeat. Eren closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the brief moment of closeness to Levi. Happiness shone through him as he felt as if he had finally gotten through to Levi. He had bared his heart on his sleeve and loudly proclaimed his love for the other in such a way that Levi couldn’t possibly deny his sincerity.
The combined weight of both of them on one rope caused their momentum to slow as the circle they spun in slowly got smaller. The pair eventually touched down lightly on the ground and Eren felt his chest heave as he struggled to get air inside his lungs. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins. It was of course partially from the physical activity but also partially because Levi was still standing super close to him. The other surprisingly hadn’t pulled away yet even though he very well could since they were no longer in the air and the need to hold each other close no longer existed. Levi’s eyes were closed and Eren noticed the other’s chest was heaving as well. His breath intermingled with Levi’s and if he just leaned in a little bit then their lips would touch. He wanted so desperately to lean in but he had to let Levi take that step.
Eren settled for squeezing Levi’s waist slightly and those beautiful silver orbs fluttered open. Eren searched his gaze and he was finally able to identify some of those emotions he had seen swimming in Levi’s eyes earlier. He saw desire, he saw lust, he saw love, but unfortunately he also saw a deep sadness, that damned cursed acceptance, and worst of all the heavily rooted fear was back.
It seemed that while Eren had chased away Levi’s fear temporarly, it hadn’t been enough to make it permanent. Levi was still afraid to let himself be with Eren. Before Eren could try to banish the fear from those silver eyes he adored so much, Levi’s mouth fell open. The other’s voice was quiet and full of pain as he sang, “You know I want you.” Levi paused and took a heaving breath in, as if he was trying not to cry.
His next words came out breathy and his voice cracked with longing, “It’s not a secret I try to hide.”
Normally this admittance would have made Eren smile, but he kept a straight face. He could practically hear the ‘but,’ that was going to follow Levi’s words.
“But I can’t have you,” Levi continued to sing, his voice getting softer with each word. A single tear slipped out of Levi’s right eye and Eren’s left hand immediately came up to brush it away gently with his thumb.
What could Eren do to convince Levi of the opposite? That Levi was allowed to have Eren. That Levi didn’t even need to ask because Eren was already his.
“We’re bound to break and my hands are tied,” Levi finished the song softly as he gently dislodged himself from Eren’s grip and he started walking backwards. Eren instantly brought his right hand up and he tried to grab Levi’s wrist but the other had already turned around and quickly disappeared into the darkness.
All Eren could do was stand by that hanging rope and wonder what if?